Relations With China

Letter writer Ron Pulliam stated that Richard Nixon opened relations with China, and now democratic ideas are springing up all over the nation. The only trouble is they are shot down as fast as they spring up, such as Tiananmen Square.The diplomatic and trade relations with China have caused China to become strong economically and militarily, but has done nothing to improve human rights of make China a free country.Paul PowerWEIRSDALE

ASUNCIM-SN, Paraguay -- Newly elected leftist leader Fernando Lugo said Tuesday that Paraguay would establish diplomatic relations with China for the first time in history in a bid to boost foreign investment and trade. Lugo, a former Catholic bishop, was elected Sunday, ending 61 years of one-party rule in Paraguay. Paraguay is the only South American country to recognize Taiwan. Lugo did not say whether relations with Taiwan would be affected by his opening toward China -- which Congress must approve.

ASUNCIM-SN, Paraguay -- Newly elected leftist leader Fernando Lugo said Tuesday that Paraguay would establish diplomatic relations with China for the first time in history in a bid to boost foreign investment and trade. Lugo, a former Catholic bishop, was elected Sunday, ending 61 years of one-party rule in Paraguay. Paraguay is the only South American country to recognize Taiwan. Lugo did not say whether relations with Taiwan would be affected by his opening toward China -- which Congress must approve.

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union on Monday elevated its "maturing" relations with China to a strategic partnership yet signaled there will be no early lifting of a ban on arms sales imposed after the Chinese military crushed student protests in 1989. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers, officials said, there was still no unanimity on ending the ban, an issue that has for years hobbled EU-Chinese relations. The foreign ministers issued a lengthy declaration raising relations with Beijing to a strategic partnership that recognizes China's growing role in global economic, security and other areas.

DIPLOMATIC TIES. Israel hopes to establish diplomatic relations with China, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Friday. In a radio interview, he said, ''We are conducting what is called softening up activity . . . One should not talk of a breakthrough but of paving the way.'' A Foreign Ministry official is expected to meet China's ambassador to the United Nations during the weekend.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's top agency in charge of relations with China said today that Taipei was ready to handle any provocations from mainland China as the island prepares for Saturday's presidential election. ``The government is able to handle every possible situation,'' said Lin Chong-pin, spokesman for the Mainland Affairs Council. Lin urged Beijing not to raise tensions ahead of the vote, in which the ruling Nationalists could lose power.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II declared sainthood Sunday for 120 Chinese and foreign missionaries killed in the church's five-century struggle in China. Beijing called the martyrs "evil-doing sinners" and their canonization "an open insult." Naming of the church's first Chinese saints threatened to worsen relations with China. The date of the canonizations fell on China's National Day celebrating 51 years of communist rule.

TERMINATION OF favorable trade relations with China would cost American consumers $10 billion a year and hurt several key U.S. industries, according to a congressional study. The study, released by Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, R-Ore., says denial of most-favored-nation status to China would most seriously affect Washington, California, Texas, Florida and Louisiana. Those states have the highest exports to China.

HONG KONG -- Pope Benedict XVI told a delegation from Hong Kong he will visit China in what would be an extraordinary papal visit to the communist nation, but he said the trip's timing depends on "God's wish," media reports said Tuesday. One of the Vatican's goals is to restart relations with China, which forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the Holy See in 1951.

A Chinese diplomatic delegation met with President Rene Preval, Prime Minister Rosny Smarth and members of Parliament Monday in China's first official visit to Haiti in 40 years. ''We have not had close relations with China since 1956,'' said Kleber Vielot, a Haitian foreign ministry adviser. ''And that is because we have had close relations with Taiwan.'' A U.S.-led occupation in September 1994 ended three years of rule by military dictators.

HONG KONG -- Pope Benedict XVI told a delegation from Hong Kong he will visit China in what would be an extraordinary papal visit to the communist nation, but he said the trip's timing depends on "God's wish," media reports said Tuesday. One of the Vatican's goals is to restart relations with China, which forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the Holy See in 1951.

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi prayed at a Tokyo shrine honoring the country's war dead today, defying critics who said the visits glorify militarism and risking a further deterioration in relations with China and South Korea. The visit was Koizumi's fifth to the Yasukuni Shrine since becoming prime minister in April 2001 and came despite a recent court decision that found the visits violate Japan's constitutional division of religion and the state. Koizumi suggests the visits are personal but, as in the past, he arrived in an official car, accompanied by his aides.

When President Bush and his entourage walk along the Great Wall of China today, they will be just a few of the millions of tourists who visit the man-made marvel every year -- a drop in the bucket. At Osceola County's Splendid China, just down the road from Walt Disney World, a few more tourists would make a big difference. "It only takes a few hundred visitors a day to keep this place going," spokesman Al Riley said Thursday. February is shaping up to be one of the best months since the park opened in 1993, Riley said.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II declared sainthood Sunday for 120 Chinese and foreign missionaries killed in the church's five-century struggle in China. Beijing called the martyrs "evil-doing sinners" and their canonization "an open insult." Naming of the church's first Chinese saints threatened to worsen relations with China. The date of the canonizations fell on China's National Day celebrating 51 years of communist rule.

WASHINGTON - Chinese President Jiang Zemin telephoned President Clinton on Sunday to express his thanks for the House vote last week in favor of granting China permanent normal trade relations. The call, which White House officials termed ``unusual,'' lasted 40 minutes and also included discussions about nuclear non-proliferation and human rights. ``Jiang called the president to thank him for his leadership on the PNTR vote,'' White House spokesman Mike Hammer said. White House officials said they had expected a formal exchange of letters with Jiang about the trade vote and were surprised by the call.

IT IS interesting to note the rationalization used for supporting permanent normal trade relations with China. Some normally ethical and compassionate leaders are in support of aligning our nation with a country that carries out some of the most unethical and inhumane treatment of human beings. Why? It seems to all boil down to money -- what's good for our pocketbooks. Never mind the fact that Chinese people suffer great injustices from their own government, as long as we strengthen our economy.

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union on Monday elevated its "maturing" relations with China to a strategic partnership yet signaled there will be no early lifting of a ban on arms sales imposed after the Chinese military crushed student protests in 1989. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers, officials said, there was still no unanimity on ending the ban, an issue that has for years hobbled EU-Chinese relations. The foreign ministers issued a lengthy declaration raising relations with Beijing to a strategic partnership that recognizes China's growing role in global economic, security and other areas.

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi prayed at a Tokyo shrine honoring the country's war dead today, defying critics who said the visits glorify militarism and risking a further deterioration in relations with China and South Korea. The visit was Koizumi's fifth to the Yasukuni Shrine since becoming prime minister in April 2001 and came despite a recent court decision that found the visits violate Japan's constitutional division of religion and the state. Koizumi suggests the visits are personal but, as in the past, he arrived in an official car, accompanied by his aides.

WASHINGTON - Chinese leaders have told the United States that they plan to stick with a ``wait and see'' attitude toward Taiwan's new president and are open to resuming a dialogue with the estranged island, a top administration official said Saturday. The Chinese assurances, if borne out, come at a crucial time for the administration, which is scrambling to put relations with China on an even keel before President Clinton leaves office and to persuade Congress to upgrade economic relations.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's top agency in charge of relations with China said today that Taipei was ready to handle any provocations from mainland China as the island prepares for Saturday's presidential election. ``The government is able to handle every possible situation,'' said Lin Chong-pin, spokesman for the Mainland Affairs Council. Lin urged Beijing not to raise tensions ahead of the vote, in which the ruling Nationalists could lose power.